Colette's Search
by WistfulGuy
Summary: Colette searches for the brother she never knew
1. Chapter 1

Title: Colette's Search (Chapter 1)

Author: WistfulGuy

Fandom: Pan Am

Rating: PG

Cast: Colette Valois

Disclaimer: I do not own Pan Am the company or the TV series. I am not associated with ABC TV in any way. I am just a huge fan of the show and like to write. Also, please don't sue me…I don't do well in jail and I have no money. Void where prohibited.

***Note: while Colette Valois is fluent in French, I am not. I have chosen to display all her dialogue in English, rather than use an English-French translation utility and risk making her sound like a 3rd grader speaking in broken French. I think you fans can appreciate that ***

Colette was already waking when her alarm clock rang at 5am. Sitting up in bed, she stretched and looked towards her window. The sun was creeping through, illuminating her bedroom. She brushed the hair from her eyes and sighed. She dwelled in the excitement of the moment as she climbed out of bed and went to prepare her breakfast. For the first time in a long while, she felt a strong sense of direction and hope in her life. Her courtship with Omar, while itself not meant to be, yielded her the greatest promise other than meeting her parents: her brother. A piece of her family, a piece of her that was yet to be discovered.

Before she could head overseas to start on a search, however, she had to say goodbye to Omar. He was a prince in every sense of the word to her. The idea of being whisked around the world in a romance with a prince was tempting to a point. Admittedly, the sudden prospect of moving to another country, being a guest for six months in a palace and losing a large part of the identity she had made for herself was certainly frightening. Omar's kindness and giving nature made it easier for her to consider. In the end, the fact remained that Colette was of Jewish ancestry, and that made any courtship or marriage to an Arab Royal simply impossible.

Omar was to be in town attending a UN event and he contacted Colette asking her to meet with him. She figured he wanted to give her a proper goodbye and wish her well. She felt she owed him that, for him being so kind to her and also for revealing her brother's existence. He arranged to have lunch with her at Tavern on the Green. She had already taken the day off and was planning to start contacting the orphanage in France where she was placed.

Thanks to the diligent work of Omar's staff, Colette not only had the name and phone number of the orphanage, but a contact person as well. She dialed the number; the line rang several times before a voice answered, "St. Mary Orphanage, how may I help you?"

"Hello, may I speak with Sister Durand?"

"Speaking!"

"Hello, Sister. My name is Colette Valois. I was one of your orphans as a child. I've recently learned that I also have a brother, and you may have information on his whereabouts. Can you help me?"

"Oh yes, Valois! I was just speaking with someone else about you, not long ago. In fact I do believe I have your file nearby. Yes...here it is!"

Colette listened to the nun rifling through papers on the phone. Her pulse quickened. She couldn't believe how close she was to finding her brother.

Sister Durand continued, "Ok, Ms. Valois. As you may have been told, your parents were Jewish and for your own protection, you and your brother were given French names to protect yourselves from the Nazis. You were both given the surname of Valois. Your brother's name is Georges."

Colette gasped. She knew his name now. He wasn't just a photo of a nameless infant anymore. He was becoming more real moment by moment. Tears of happiness formed and streamed down her face as she envisioned meeting her brother for the very first time.

"Are you still there, Ms. Valois?"

Catching herself, Colette quickly replied, "Yes, yes I am. Do you have any information on where Georges might be now?"

"Sadly, we don't have all of that information. I can tell you a large group of orphans from your day ended up in Paris at a boarding school. I can give you the contact information of that school; perhaps they can give you more details."

"That would be wonderful, please give me the number. Thank you so much, Sister!" Colette beamed. She wrote down the contact information on the boarding school.

Colette smiled, thinking how easy the first step was. She now knew her brother was Georges Valois and she was one step closer to finding him at last. She began to ready herself to meet with Omar for a poignant farewell.


	2. Chapter 2

Title: Colette's Search (Chapter 2)

Author: WistfulGuy

Fandom: Pan Am

Rating: PG

Cast: Colette Valois

Disclaimer: I do not own Pan Am the company or the TV series. I am not associated with ABC TV in any way. I am just a huge fan of the show and like to write. Also, please don't sue me…I don't do well in jail and I have no money. Void where prohibited.

***Note: while Colette Valois is fluent in French, I am not. I have chosen to display all her dialogue in English, rather than use an English-French translation utility and risk making her sound like a 3rd grader speaking in broken French. I think you fans can appreciate that ***

Colette began picking out her clothes for her lunch date with Omar. She had a decent amount of time, which was great considering she'd be catching a cab to Central Park during lunch rush. She picked up the notepad with the information on her brother and placed it in her Pan Am bag. As she set the bag down, her phone rang. It was Dean.

"Hello there, so how's my favorite private investigator?"

"Hello to you. I am well, and happy to say I've got a good lead on my brother. I even know his name now!"

"Look at you! Good going there, so what is his name?"

"Georges Valois."

"Hmm, I guess they wanted to keep things uniform with the last name and all. Gotta love those nuns," Dean joked.

"Of course...well I now will be calling a boarding school in Paris to see if they know where my brother might be."

"I see. Well, my offer to help you still stands. In fact, in case you haven't noticed, I have a bit of extra free time these days and I so happen to have some free flight vouchers from a certain airline..."

Colette giggled. She was glad to be back on good terms with Dean. She really cared about him and felt that they could work through the issues that had come between them and any that might come between them. She still had hope for them, and hope made things worthwhile to her.

She said, "I appreciate your concern, and I will certainly let you know when I will be making a trip to Paris. It would be nice to have you accompany me. Now, I must say goodbye, as I have lunch plans."

"Fair enough. Have a good day, and I will be speaking with you soon!"

"I look forward to it!" Colette smiled and hung up. She finished getting dressed and putting on her makeup. As she looked in the mirror, she started to imagine actually meeting her brother. What would she say to him? How would she approach him? Does he even know about her? She had to think it was not likely he would have any inkling of his origins. After all, Colette had no idea of hers until her contact with Omar had revealed it.

Omar.

She sighed and thought of how this news of her family even came to her. This man, dark and mysterious, a prince from Arabia, was enchanted enough by her to reach out and offer her a place at his side. While she didn't learn much about him during their time together, he certainly seemed to have warm intentions. She needed to have one last meeting with him, to have closure. To thank him for the immeasurable gift he had given her; the gift that few ever offered Colette Valois: the truth.

Colette made her way downstairs to the street. Hailing a taxi, she climbed in and told the driver, "Central Park, Tavern on the Green."


	3. Chapter 3

Title: Colette's Search (Chapter 3)

Author: WistfulGuy

Fandom: Pan Am

Rating: PG

Cast: Colette Valois

Disclaimer: I do not own Pan Am the company or the TV series. I am not associated with ABC TV in any way. I am just a huge fan of the show and like to write. Also, please don't sue me…I don't do well in jail and I have no money. Void where prohibited.

***Note: while Colette Valois is fluent in French, I am not. I have chosen to display all her dialogue in English, rather than use an English-French translation utility and risk making her sound like a 3rd grader speaking in broken French. I think you fans can appreciate that ***

Colette arrived at Tavern on the Green. She told the Maitre'D she was expected by a Prince Omar and he escorted her to where Omar was sitting. Seeing her approach, Omar rose from his seat and bowed slightly as she neared.

"Greetings, Colette. It is good to see you."

Smiling at his manners and show of respect, Colette replied, "It is not every day I am asked to lunch by royalty. Thank you and it is nice to see you as well, Omar."

Taking her hand, Omar kissed it gently and said, "I'm glad you agreed to meet me." Gesturing to a seat, Omar pulled the chair out and held it for Colette as she sat down. Motioning to a nearby waiter, Omar requested a wine list.

"Tell me, Colette, would you like a glass of wine?"

"Why yes, that sounds nice!"

"Any preference?"

"Well, truth be told I've long since been partial to the Bordeaux region. How about Chāteau d'Yquem, Sauvignon Blanc?"

Overhearing their conversation, the waiter interjected, "In that case, might I recommend the 1958 vintage? An exceptional year."

Colette glanced at Omar. He looked at the waiter and said, "Sounds wonderful, we'll have a bottle."

The waiter left to get the wine. Smiling, Colette said, "I am glad you arranged this lunch as well, Omar. I know that things haven't turned out quite like you expected. I certainly know things in my life have typically not gone as expected. But be that as it may, the truth is I owe you a great deal."

Omar leaned back in his chair. "For what?" he replied.

"For the entirety of my life, save for the past several weeks, I've been Colette Valois. A child of French Resistance fighters who were killed during Blitzkrieg. An orphan who managed to scrap, struggle and eventually make a life for herself in the United States. A sadder but wiser woman, who simply...refused...to let life get the best of her. A strong woman, who is quite adept at hiding the great void within her that never knowing one's parents creates."

Omar's face was filled with compassion. Colette continued, "You've given me something no one ever has: the truth about my upbringing. A chance to learn more about whom I really am, which seems to involve another ethnicity. And most of all, the hope of meeting my brother. My brother, Omar...there is no possible way I can repay you for what you have given me."

Colette sighed. Omar took her hands in his. Smiling he said, "Colette, you are beautiful. It was my sincere hope that we could spend a wonderful courtship together and that one day you'd become my princess. While this was simply not meant to pass, I am comforted in the fact that I could share with you this information about your origin. I am happy to know that maybe one day you will meet and know your brother from our contact with each other."

Smiling, Colette replied, "Omar, you always made me feel like your princess. That is something I don't imagine I will ever forget."

The waiter returned with their wine. Pouring a little in a glass, the waiter offered it to Omar. He motioned to Colette and said, "Oh no, I must defer to the expert here."

Colette laughed, "A wise choice, your majesty!" Taking the glass from the waiter, she sniffed the wine and took a careful sip. Savoring the taste of the wine in her mouth for a moment, she then swallowed and replied, "That is a most excellent Bordeaux!"

The waiter filled Colette's glass and poured another for Omar before leaving again.

Raising his glass, Omar said, "And now, I propose a toast. To life, to love, to dear friends...to you Colette. May you have luck, love, and happiness all the days of your life."

Raising her glass, Colette nodded, "Thank you, and to you, Omar...I wish you happiness, love, life and luck. I sincerely hope someone gives you something as great as what you have given me."

They enjoyed the wine and their meal. Colette wasn't quite sure if this would be the last time she'd ever see Omar, but if it was she would be happy with that. She was able to thank him for the gift of learning about her brother, and wished him well in the future. As far as breakups go, this was by far the most amicable one she had ever experienced.

Colette hugged and kissed Omar before they departed, saying, "Thank you for everything, Omar. Perhaps I'll see you in the friendly skies some day?"

"Perhaps...it has been a pleasure, Colette. All the best to you in your future!"

Colette watched as Omar's Cadillac drove off. She did it; she had her closure with Omar. Now, on to find her brother. She hailed a cab to return to her apartment.


	4. Chapter 4

Title: Colette's Search (Chapter 4)

Author: WistfulGuy

Fandom: Pan Am

Rating: PG

Cast: Colette Valois

Disclaimer: I do not own Pan Am the company or the TV series. I am not associated with ABC TV in any way. I am just a huge fan of the show and like to write. Also, please don't sue me…I don't do well in jail and I have no money. Void where prohibited.

***Note: while Colette Valois is fluent in French, I am not. I have chosen to display all her dialogue in English, rather than use an English-French translation utility and risk making her sound like a 3rd grader speaking in broken French. I think you fans can appreciate that ***

Colette walked into her apartment and sat down on the couch. It had been quite a busy day so far: contacting the orphanage that kept her and her brother, finding her brother's name and the next clue in solving the mystery of his whereabouts, having a splendid lunch with the wonderful man who made this search possible at all.

She was happy to have a two day break from work. This would give her the chance to call the boarding school in Paris the following morning. With the time difference, she figured her chances of having someone answer an office phone would not be great at this time of day.

As luck would have it, Majestic was scheduled to fly to Paris when she returned to work. Quite serendipitous, she thought. She recalled Dean's comment, "Sometimes the stars align." Smiling, she said aloud, "It certainly seems to be happening in this case."

Now that she had closure with Omar, she was able to focus on her future. Finding her brother was, of course, a top priority. She also knew she wanted to have Dean be a part of that, and more. There were things to work through, but she wanted to work through them with Dean.

They still had to be careful about who knew about them. Of course, the girls and Ted could be counted on to keep things quiet. Laura and Ted had as much to be concerned with for themselves, anyway. Colette figured she could use her time in Paris on her flights there to continue her search. She had to figure a way to have Dean accompany her without it appearing too suspicious - if she continually appeared entering and exiting Pan Am flights in the company of a fellow employee, it would not bode well. She wanted to continue with Pan Am for the time being, and didn't want Dean's troubles to extend beyond his current suspension.

Perhaps she could meet with Dean at that Jake's nightclub to see his thoughts about how to handle this, she thought. She removed her high heels and sat down on her sofa. Reaching for the phone, she dialed Dean's number. After a few rings, he answered, "Hello?"

"Dean, it's Colette."

"Well hello again...I could get used to this, you know?"

"Yes, I think I do. Okay, I've been thinking about how to go about searching for my brother and how you can help me. First things first: I need to get a better idea of his location. The orphanage gave me the name of a boarding school where they believe my brother may have been sent. I'm hoping this school has halfway decent records, enough to give us more of a lead."

"You certainly have nothing to lose in contacting them. What can I do to help?"

"I have a feeling the trail is going to get a bit murky at the point I get leads on where my brother may have gone afterwards. In normal times, you can't guess where a person's life will take them. We certainly can't guess what happens to people's lives after a war has ended."

"Good point. Well, I am at your disposal!"

"Thank you, Dean. That means a lot to me. How about we continue this over a meal at Jake's this evening?"

"Now you're talking! What time should I pick you up?"

"How about seven?"

"Sounds good, Miss Valois...departure for 7pm it is!"

Colette laughed softly as they ended their call. Dean's country boy charms toward her made her feel desired and adored. She had a few hours before meeting Dean so she decided to have a cup of tea. While boiling the water she had a thought about some guidebooks to Paris she had collected over the years. Since her start with Pan Am, she wanted to be as well versed on the tourist hot spots and dining establishments in Paris as possible. After all, she wanted to show off her home country to all Pan Am passengers visiting it.

As the teapot began to heat up, she went to a bookshelf that held the Paris guidebooks she'd collected. Pulling one of the more recent ones out, she began flipping through the pages of the historical landmarks. She slowly paged through the pictures of stately buildings and edifices, the buildings seeming to look back at her with an air of importance. She noticed that a few of the locations happened to be educational institutions. One of these was a boarding school: "L'école Evangeline".

Colette stared at the name of this school and the picture of its building as the teapot in her kitchen began to whistle softly. Thinking back to her conversation with the nun at the orphanage, she recalled her speaking of the school.

"Yes, Miss Valois, that's the name of the school...L'école Evangeline. Pierre Martinique was the headmaster at the time, but I obviously can't confirm that is still the case."

Feeling another small triumph of seeing the location of the school, Colette took the guidebook with her to the kitchen. Setting it down, she poured the boiling water into a cup to have some tea. Sipping slowly, she looked at the guidebook, still opened to the page with the L'école Evangeline school on it.

"It looks as though I'll be doing some more digging tomorrow," she said happily to herself.


	5. Chapter 5

Title: Colette's Search (Chapter 5)

Author: WistfulGuy

Fandom: Pan Am

Rating: PG

Cast: Colette Valois

Disclaimer: I do not own Pan Am the company or the TV series. I am not associated with ABC TV in any way. I am just a huge fan of the show and like to write. Also, please don't sue me…I don't do well in jail and I have no money. Void where prohibited.

***Note: while Colette Valois is fluent in French, I am not. I have chosen to display all her dialogue in English, rather than use an English-French translation utility and risk making her sound like a 3rd grader speaking in broken French. I think you fans can appreciate that ***

Colette and Dean sat at a table at Jake's. They had just ordered their food and were enjoying their drinks. Colette mused to herself what an active day she'd had so far: lunch with a former romance, dinner with a budding one, and in between some research on her brother's whereabouts.

"So, Colette," Dean inquired, "What is the plan going forward for finding Georges?"

"Well now that I have the name of the school, I plan on contacting them tomorrow to see what they can tell me about my brother, if anything. At this point, I'm hopeful that he was able to remain somewhere in Paris or at least France. If that isn't the case, finding my brother will certainly take a bit longer, but I will not be deterred in any way."

Raising his glass to her, Dean toasted her saying "To the woman on a mission!"

Arching her eyebrows and smiling coyly, Colette quipped, "But of course...thank you!" She continued, "I return to work the day after tomorrow, and as luck would have it Majestic is flying to Paris."

Dean was impressed by the serendipity of the situation. "Well this is a handy turn of events, now. So, you'll be tracking down what information you can over the phone. Allow me to help you when it comes time to hit the streets of Paris."

"That sounds great. I was wondering how to handle the travel arrangements as we head over to Paris. I know you have travel vouchers for Pan Am, but do you think it will look suspicious to the higher ups at Pan Am if we are always seen in each other's company?"

"Well, it would look suspicious but I can ride in economy and try to make my entrance towards the end of boarding. As long as we don't make it too regular, I don't imagine it will be that much of an issue. We already know the girls and Ted won't say a word, right?"

Colette laughed, "Yes...my, what a stir that would cause. Ted and Laura have plenty to hide as well!"

Their food arrived: Steak and steamed spinach for Dean, Chicken Cordon Bleu and asparagus for Colette. They ate and enjoyed the meal as well as each other's company.

Colette asked, "So how are you handling the suspension so far?"

"Well, being grounded is one of the worst things a pilot can experience. But don't think that Pan Am would punish me by paying me just to stay home all the time and not fly. They've got me periodically assisting with reviewing Pan Am training materials and reading up on plane specs. I guess they've got to find busy work so I don't just get a six month paid vacation as my 'penalty'."

"I see. By giving you busy work, they're slowly trying to make you regret your actions?"

"Well, we both know that's not going to happen. I said it before and I'll say it again: what we did in Haiti was the right thing to do and I won't ever regret it. It was a bad situation that we made the most of in the end. I will always be grateful to you, Colette, for helping me make the right choice in that situation."

Colette took Dean's hand. "I'm happy to help you. I really want to see this through with you. And to be clear...right now I'm talking about you and me." She smiled at Dean. Her eyes twinkled as he smiled in return. While this trip and subsequent trips to Paris would involve work to find her brother, Colette also saw them as opportunities to reconnect and rekindle what she and Dean had begun not long ago.

Taking a sip of his drink, Dean looked downward thoughtfully. "So, the flight to Paris is the day after tomorrow. I'll arrange for my seat and I'll wait to hear any other details from you. Think we'll have a chance for dinner in Paris? I'd love to make up at least some of my London plans to you then."

Colette looked thoughtfully at Dean. "I see. I'll tell you what. First, let's see how things go with me getting information about my brother from L'école Evangeline. I would love to have a night with you, but I really want to get more of an idea on my brother's whereabouts before doing anything else with our time in Paris."

"Fair enough. And once we do get more of a lead on him, I'm going to hold you to that evening together part," Dean said and winked.

Colette smiled. "All in due time," she thought to herself.


	6. Chapter 6

Title: Colette's Search (Chapter 6)

Author: WistfulGuy

Fandom: Pan Am

Rating: PG

Cast: Colette Valois

Disclaimer: I do not own Pan Am the company or the TV series. I am not associated with ABC TV in any way. I am just a huge fan of the show and like to write. Also, please don't sue me…I don't do well in jail and I have no money. Void where prohibited.

***Note: while Colette Valois is fluent in French, I am not. I have chosen to display all her dialogue in English, rather than use an English-French translation utility and risk making her sound like a 3rd grader speaking in broken French. I think you fans can appreciate that ***

The next day, Colette sat at her kitchen table after breakfast. She was dressed for the day and was ready to take the next step towards her brother. She wasn't sure at this point how many more steps there would be, but she was determined like never before in her life to see this through.

For Colette, learning of and searching for her brother certainly affected her way of handling situations. Too many times, she'd been more or less careless in life. That probably at least partly explained her haphazard love life. She always made a point to search for happiness, but time and time again it seemed to elude her. Now, as she was on the verge of finding a piece of her that was unknown until recently, she mused how easy it became for her to make detailed notes regarding finding her brother.

She knew L'ecole Evangeline was the next step at this point. She picked up the phone and dialed the number. After several rings, a man answered, "Hello?"

"Hello, sir. My name is Colette Valois. I'm trying to track down my brother, who I believe was once a student at your school. Do you keep any records on your students that might help me locate him?"

There was a pause on the other end of the line, then, "Tracking down your brother, who was a student here? Hmm, when did he attend this school?"

"The best I can guess is during the forties."

"Wow, that will take some digging. It is not entirely out of the question, however. A lot of our students during that time came from an orphanage and we do get inquiries from time to time, mostly relatives like you trying to track down a sibling or child. What is his name?"

"Georges Valois."

"I see...Valois. Well Miss, my name is Henri Lottinger and I have been the headmaster of this school for the past twenty years. I can't promise I can find your brother, but I can promise I will check our records for we have any further information on your brother and will let you know what I find. How does that sound?"

Colette beamed with another small victory, "Perfect...it sounds perfect. It just so happens that I will be travelling to Paris tomorrow, would it be alright if I stop by to see you?"

"I can't promise I'll have details on him that fast, but I will have my secretary have a look today."

"I understand. Thank you so much, Mr. Lottinger!" Colette hung up the phone. She sat back in her chair and thought the situation through. Another piece of the puzzle was materializing before her. She felt her excitement build.

Colette was ready to return to work. Admittedly, being able to visit a school her brother attended and find more links to him was a huge reason for her enthusiasm. However, she really did enjoy her job with Pan Am and really felt a bond with the crew of Majestic.

She had arranged it with Dean: the flight for Paris left at 10am, and they would meet at the hotel in Paris. She had arranged it with the headmaster to visit him at his office in the evening.

Colette boarded Majestic to check in and make the usual pre-flight prep. She spotted Maggie as she entered the plane.

"Good morning, Maggie!"

"And good morning to you, Colette! How are things?"

"They are well, let me tell you. I am so close to finding my brother, it is such a great feeling!"

Maggie's eyebrows raised as she marveled at Colette's progress. "That's great, Colette! Wow, and to think I was going to offer my help to you in finding your brother. How much do you know about him?"

"His name...Georges Valois. I have a lead on schools he's attended, and hopefully on this trip I will get an idea of where he is now."

"Wow...well, good for you!" Maggie smiled and patted Colette on the arm. As they turned to focus on their pre flight chores, a familiar male voice said, "Good morning, ladies! What, no love for the first officer?" They turned to see Ted enter, sporting his usual Cheshire Cat grin.

"Hello Ted, nice to see you again," said Colette.

"Careful, now...we don't want it going to his head," teased Maggie.

Smirking, Ted quipped, "Oh come on now, just because Dean is out of the pilot's seat for now it doesn't mean I'm going to try and rule this plane. We've got a fill in pilot that ISN'T that Thornton coot so I'm hopeful we'll have a quiet trip."

The girls smiled at Ted as he turned to enter the cockpit. Colette asked Maggie, "So, are Kate and Laura flying with us?"

"Not today, actually. Kate called in sick and Laura has the day off today."

The first class passengers boarded and soon the economy class passengers entered the plane. Colette kept an eye out for Dean, as she figured it would be hard to not see the reaction of at least Maggie when he entered the plane as a passenger. Sure enough, Maggie caught sight of him first and said, "Well well well, what do we have here? First time flying with us?" she joked.

Dean smiled in turn and said, "Well, it's the first time I'll be flying this far to the back of the plane!"

Colette and Maggie laughed. Colette countered, "In that case, sir, allow us to dazzle you with world renowned Pan Am service!"

"I look forward to it!" Dean smiled as he entered the plane.

Colette watched Dean walk down the aisle and smiled. The search for her brother was already shaping up to be an interesting journey, and she was glad to be sharing it with Dean.


	7. Chapter 7

Title: Colette's Search (Chapter 7)

Author: WistfulGuy

Fandom: Pan Am

Rating: PG

Cast: Colette Valois

Disclaimer: I do not own Pan Am the company or the TV series. I am not associated with ABC TV in any way. I am just a huge fan of the show and like to write. Also, please don't sue me…I don't do well in jail and I have no money. Void where prohibited.

***Note: while Colette Valois is fluent in French, I am not. I have chosen to display all her dialogue in English, rather than use an English-French translation utility and risk making her sound like a 3rd grader speaking in broken French. I think you fans can appreciate that ***

Colette and Maggie, along with the other two stewardesses on their crew, wrapped up their post flight duties on Majestic after arriving in Paris. Grabbing their bags, they made their way out to the concourse at the Paris airport. As they walked, Maggie commented, "Well, that was an interesting flight."

Colette glanced toward Maggie, "Yes, waiting on Dean as a passenger was certainly a first for me. It is good to know this suspension of his isn't for long. By the way, thank you for what you had the Sky God do. I understand he produced a letter from Juan Trippe himself, which saved Dean's job with Pan Am."

Maggie looked at Colette and smiled. "Well, as devious as I can be at times, I'm glad I could come through on this occasion."

Colette smiled at Maggie's remark. While Maggie was all about self preservation at all costs, she did manage to pull a huge favor for Dean by speaking with the Sky God about him. The fact was, the Sky God held begrudging respect for Dean due to his ability as a pilot and the fact that Dean had no qualms about putting the Sky God in his place, via words or a punch. The favor was partly out of this respect, and partly due to Maggie convincing him to speak with Mr. Trippe about Dean.

They arrived on the concourse and saw Dean sitting on a bench. As they approached, Dean stood up and said, "You know, you guys have a great airline. Are you by any chance looking for pilots?"

Giggling at his question, Colette replied, "That all depends. What can you bring to Pan Am?"

"How about I throw some flying lessons in?"

"Well, as long as you make them intermediate or above. I have a little bit of pilot experience, you know."

Dean smiled and rolled his eyes. Maggie's mouth fell slightly open. She grabbed Colette by the arm, "Wait...a...minute. Did you...? I remember playing truth or dare and suggesting you fly the plane. You didn't...did you?"

Colette smiled and glanced at Dean. He said, "Well, since we're no longer a secret to Maggie I'll let you tell her."

Turning back to Maggie, Colette nodded. Maggie's eyes widened. "Wow...look at you guys. Well, I promise you this will be our secret. What are friends for, right?" She winked at Colette.

Dean smiled at both of them. "Well, ladies, this is all well and good but how about we get out of here and head to the hotel?" They walked to the street and caught a cab to their hotel.

After checking in, Colette and Dean met in the hotel cafe for a light dinner. They had to be quick about it so they could make it to the L'ecole Evangeline School and meet with Mr. Lottinger. Colette already explained the situation to Maggie, so Maggie wouldn't be waiting for her to do debriefing. They both agreed there would be plenty to catch up on, with this new development on Colette's flying lessons from Dean.

As they finished their dinner, Dean asked, "So did you call him from the hotel?"

"Yes. He said to come over and that he was able to find some information on my brother."

"That's great! Hopefully we'll start getting details on his current whereabouts."

"That's the plan!"

They caught a cab to L'ecole Evangeline. The headmaster's house was marked with a sign near the road, making it easy to spot. They arrived at the front door of the house. Colette knocked, and a few seconds later the door was opened to reveal an older gentleman, dressed fairly conservatively. He looked at Colette and Dean for a moment and asked, "Can I help you?"

Colette leaned forward, "Mr. Lottinger?"

"Yes?"

"Hello, my name is Colette Valois. We spoke on the phone yesterday. I asked you about information on a Georges Valois...my brother?"

The man's expression lit up. "Oh yes...Miss Valois! So nice to see you. Please, you and your friend come in! Would either of you care for some tea? I just heated up a batch."

Colette looked at Dean; he mouthed the word "sure". "We'd love some, sir." Colette replied.

They made their way inside the headmaster's house. It was rather quaint. They walked through the front parlor area into a study, its walls lined with books. A couch, easy chair and two small end tables were in the middle of the room. Mr. Lottinger directed them to have a seat. "I'll just be a moment." He disappeared through the doorway. Sitting on the couch, they looked at the walls lined with books. "He's certainly a fan of reading, isn't he?" Dean commented.

"I suppose it somewhat goes with working at a school all these years." Colette quipped.

"So...intermediate lessons?"

"Well, you made the offer."

Dean smiled, "Yes...I did. We'll just see about that. Maybe Ted can help us out there. I think for now it would be better to avoid my parents' farm for now."

"I'm open to suggestions!"

Mr. Lottinger returned bearing a tray with a steaming pot of tea, three sets of cups and saucers, spoons and sugar. He set them on one of the tables. As he did this, they noticed that on the table was a file folder that appeared to be fairly full. As Mr. Lottinger poured himself a cup of tea, he grabbed the folder, walked to the easy chair and sat down. Colette and Dean in turn served themselves tea and returned to the couch.

Mr. Lottinger took a sip from his tea and placed it on the other small table, which was between the couch and easy chair. Colette and Dean sat, waiting for Mr. Lottinger to begin. He opened the file folder and said, "Miss Valois, as I'm sure you can imagine we've had thousands of children come through our school since its inception. Many of them were sent to us by their families, while others were brought to us by orphanages such as the one you and your brother came from."

He continued, "With so many people coming and going through these doors over the years, it isn't always easy to keep track of where people are now. We have had some luck with alumni keeping in touch, either to say hello or sometimes to donate money here and there."

Mr. Lottinger flipped through several pages of the file folder. Colette wasn't really sure where he was going with his commentary, but she remained hopeful that he would arrive at some positive news about her brother. She placed her tea on the small table near the couch and reached for Dean's hand.

Glancing up from the file, Mr. Lottinger looked at Colette. "Miss Valois, your brother has been very kind to us in making regular donations over the years. It isn't entirely unusual, for someone who came to us as an orphan to be so generous in giving back to those who helped him in his early years."

Colette sighed and began to swell with a feeling of pride. She hadn't met her brother but enjoyed everything she'd been hearing or learning about him, like his sense of charity.

Mr. Lottinger looked back at the file. "Fortunately, we keep good records on our benefactors. I have an address on Georges, as well as an employer's address if you'd like."

Colette gasped. Her smile was radiant. Dean looked at her, as she appeared to be speechless. He said, "Uh, of course we'd like that information, sir. Do you have a pen we can use?" Colette quickly chimed in, "Yes, yes, of course. I'm sorry...it's just...my brother." She smiled as a tear rolled down her cheek.

Seeing her reaction, Mr. Lottinger was moved. "It's quite alright, Miss. I can only imagine what it is like to find a long lost sibling."

Colette made notes of the contact information on Georges. She wondered for a bit if she was dreaming. Could she really be this close to finding her brother?


	8. Chapter 8

Title: Colette's Search (Chapter 8)

Author: WistfulGuy

Fandom: Pan Am

Rating: PG

Cast: Colette Valois

Disclaimer: I do not own Pan Am the company or the TV series. I am not associated with ABC TV in any way. I am just a huge fan of the show and like to write. Also, please don't sue me…I don't do well in jail and I have no money. Void where prohibited.

***Note: while Colette Valois is fluent in French, I am not. I have chosen to display all her dialogue in English, rather than use an English-French translation utility and risk making her sound like a 3rd grader speaking in broken French. I think you fans can appreciate that ***

Colette was awake and getting dressed for the day before her alarm clock rang. She knew they had two more days before Majestic flew again, so she had to make each day count. Thanks to her efforts and the help of many along the way, she now had an employer and home address for her brother Georges. His home address...she stared at the information on her brother with a sense of wonder. After all this time, accepting her existence as a lone orphan with no family to call her own, she was on the brink of discovering her brother.

She made her way down to the hotel cafe for some breakfast. She was thinking of the best way to approach her brother. Showing up at his place of work might prove awkward, and besides he could have limited time to visit with her then. She figured it would be best to meet Georges at his home.

After ordering her food, Colette noticed Dean walking towards her. She smiled and waved gently.

"Well, you're up and around early," he said.

"That shouldn't be too surprising. I feel like it's Christmas morning and I'm about to open my presents!"

"So, what are your plans from here?"

"Well, I figure that since we have both work and home addresses for Georges, it would be better to try him at home. At least we'd be less likely to be interrupted."

"That makes sense. When do you want to stop by his house?"

"I'm thinking in the early evening. I'm hoping he has a job where he leaves work around 5pm in the evening. I guess the only way to know is to give it a try."

Dean nodded in agreement. He waved over a waiter to order some breakfast. They had time to get ready for the visit to Georges' house.

The cab ride to Georges' house was quiet at first. Colette intently studied her street map, periodically glancing up and around to get a visual idea of where they were. Dean asked her, "You okay?"

"I'm fine. Just want to make sure we don't miss it."

"We won't. You're going to do this."

Colette smiled at Dean, taking his hand and squeezing gently. She thought of how it was nice to him along for this. She was nervous to meet her brother for the first time in her life, and Dean's presence helped relieve her tension somewhat.

"What are you going to say to him?" Dean asked.

"Honestly, I don't know. What I'd like to say is 'Hello, my name is Colette Valois. I am your sister, and I am so happy to finally meet you.' I just don't know what will come out when I actually see him."

"That's understandable. Just say what's in your heart, Colette."

Colette watched Dean intently as he spoke. "Thank you for coming with me, Dean."

"It is my pleasure. Colette, I want you to be happy. Seeing you find your brother is something I'm happy to be a part of, however small my contribution may be."

"Your support of me is greatly appreciated." Colette smiled at Dean.

As she glanced down again to her map, they heard the cab driver say, "We're here."

Colette looked up to the house, a moderate sized house in a suburb of Paris. The light by the front door was on, and someone could be seen through the glass on the front door moving through the house. They exited the cab. As Colette paid the driver, Dean studied the house. "Hmm, well if this is all his it looks like he's making an honest living for himself."

The cab pulled away. Colette reached into her purse for the family photo from Omar. She looked at it for a moment, saying, "Here we go." She walked up the steps to the front door and rang the bell. After several moments, the door opened. They saw a man who appeared to be in his early twenties. He was dressed fairly conservatively, wearing a sweater and slacks. Dean noticed his facial features somewhat favored Colette. It was him...it had to be.

The man asked, "Can I help you?"

Smiling, Colette began to speak, "Hello, I'm looking for Georges Valois. Are you him?"

"I am; what can I do for you?"

"Did you originally grow up in the St. Thomas orphanage in Paris?"

The man was taken aback slightly. He began to look intently at Colette. "Yes, that's correct, how did you know that? What is this all about?"

Colette said, "My name is Colette Valois. I...am your sister."

The man's eyebrows raised and his eyes widened. Tears began to roll down his cheeks. Stammering, he said, "All these years, I thought my family was lost in the war. I...thought I was alone. And now, I have a...sister. Oh, Colette!"

Beginning to weep, he reached for Colette. There he was, her brother. He was real, and he was right in front of her. Her guard was completely down, the tears began to flow unchecked down her cheeks. She quickly went to him and they embraced, both crying deeply. Dean smiled at their emotional reunion.

Georges invited them into his home. Colette swelled with a rush of fulfillment. She did it, she found her brother. After being apart for their entire lives until then, they would never be too far apart again.


End file.
